So that's it. The Great British Bake Off is over - at least as we know it, in its present, perfect form. No more will we have Mary Berry politely but ever so slightly passive-aggressively dubbing a messy croquembouche "informal". No longer will we hear Mel & Sue's iconic: "Ready, set, baaaaaake!" Who the hell knows if Bake Off will even be in a tent the next time we tune in?

Of course, no-one knew anything about Bake Off's imminent switch from BBC One to Channel 4 when this final was filmed back in the summer. Sure, there had been rumblings, but nothing had been confirmed - and could Mary, Mel and Sue possibly have realised that this would be the last time they'd dig into a Showstopper?

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

In a way, it's a bit of a shame they didn't know. The trio have been a vital part of Bake Off over the years; the secret ingredients that turn a basic sponge into a mouth-watering treat. We can't help but feel disappointed at the way things worked out, because it means that they're not being as celebrated as we would like.

On the other hand, we feel very strongly about preserving the integrity of Bake Off like a particularly good jam, so maybe it's all for the best that this was just a classic finale, keeping the spotlight quite rightly on the three bakers who have sweated their way through challenges, tests and tricky technicals to make it to the final.

The final might not have been as closely fought as last year's face-off between Nadiya and Tamal, and it might not have had the shock factor of Nancy Birtwhistle triumphing over Richard Burr and his pencil. But what it lacked in tension - let's be honest, it was almost immediately clear that Candice Brown would be the winner - it more than made up for in sheer trickiness.

Three-tiered meringue crowns. A technical challenge with literally no instructions other than: "Make a Victoria sponge." And to finish it all, the most mischievous, dastardly, basically flat-out cruel Showstopper we have ever seen grace the Bake Off tent.

We thought it sounded quite an easy final test when Mel & Sue announced that the bakers were being tasked to produce a chocolate celebration cake. Then it continued: 12 puff pastry sausage rolls, 12 mini quiches, 12 savoury scones and 12 fruit and custard tarts. In case you're counting, that's 49 baked goods. To be made in five hours. IN ONE OVEN.

Pleasingly, though, this challenge neatly summed up the three remaining bakers very nicely indeed. Candice, the now consistently calm-under-pressure smoothie, going the extra mile by making her sausage rolls into cute little piggies. Andrew, the ever-precise engineer, scheduling his every five minutes in a spreadsheet. Jane, the classic home baker, essentially winging it and getting a bit flappy ("There are so many timers I'm not sure what the timers are for now," she squeaked at one point) but still managing to turn out some delicious treats.

In fact, the finale in general was an excellent summation of everything that makes Bake Off great. There was a "soggy bottom" mention, and talk of cracks. Paul gave both Candice and Jane his trademark handshake, leaving Andrew jealous - only for him to rise to the top of the technical challenge in a classic underdog story. There were near-misses with dropped bakes, and raw pastry, and delights that left our stomachs rumbling.

There was the classic picnic in a country estate, and talk of the Queen, and that essential Bake Off warmth, and Paul creeping up on Jane, and everyone being nice to each other even while they were in competition, and Mel & Sue being cheeky and… Well, let's just say that it felt like a perfect goodbye, even if it wasn't originally intended to be.

But now the stand mixers have been packed away, the crumbs have been wiped from Paul Hollywood's cheeks, and - as much as we hate to think it - the tent is probably stuffed into a BBC cupboard. Candice will go on to have her book deals and her newspaper columns and possibly her own cooking show, if she's lucky (maybe even a lipstick range). Jane and Andrew might get their own recipe books too - if nothing else, they'll certainly turn up at food exhibitions and festivals and the like.

And as for Bake Off's future? It's as unknowable as whether a soufflé will rise, or a meringue will crack. Perhaps there's just something about the show that means it will survive no matter what; perhaps it will turn out that Mary, Mel and Sue were the caramel that held the meringue together. For now, let's just treasure the memories, congratulate Candice, and eat shitloads of cake.